Phenology and Place

So much has changed since my last visit to Centennial Woods and most of it is due to the recent snow and decrease in temperature. Much of the wildlife is preparing for winter as the vegetation begins to die off. Tall grass used to stand around the edge of the creek, but after the snow, all of it has been flattened to the ground exposing the earth which is damp and muddy. Despite the snow melting, the water level in the creek is very low allowing the rocks to be more visible. The lack of water helped me to notice a large amount of broken glass tucked in between the rocks. They have been stuck there for a long time because the constant stream of water has eroded them into smooth edges. Someone must have broken a ceramic dish because white fragments with pink flower designs were scattered down the stream. I noticed a small piece of wood leaning against a tree, hidden under snow and branches. It was smooth and rectangular so it had clearly been cut, possibly used as a plank for one of the boardwalk bridges across the creek.

One change that immediately caught my attention was the contrast between the snow and the moss on the fallen tree next to my spot. The white snow illuminated by the sun was beautiful against the bright green moss growing on the log. After looking through “Naturally Curious” I noticed that this was Foliose lichen growing on the tree which was common to grow in November. I also noticed how almost all of the vegetation was nearly dead except for these bright green ferns growing outside the tree. While I was reviewing “Naturally Curious” October, I saw that these ferns, Hay-Scented Ferns, should have turned yellow a month ago. I was surprised that the ferns were still green and that they survived the snow.

After returning to this spot over the course of a couple weeks, I feel like my Sense of Place has really grown. At first I did not feel much of a connection to Centennial Woods, but now I know every nook and cranny of this spot. I think one of the reasons I enjoy this spot is because it is so similar to trail spots at home. I grew up in Massachusetts and I love being in New England because the terrain is so similar and beautiful throughout. Since Centennial Woods is a public trail, it is strange for me to think of all the other people that have come across my spot. Did other people have a connection with it? Or was it simply a pass-by in their day? I then begin to think about all of the people that have come across my spot in the past years. I wonder if the creek still had the same bends or if it has changed its course overtime. Centennial Woods used to be used as a landfill and I compare my connection to this spot to the people’s then. It is sad to think they may not have seen the beauty I do because in their eyes it was simply a landfill.